Sunday 11 May 2008 04.39 EDT
First published on Sunday 11 May 2008 04.39 EDT

Ministers should accept that people enjoy getting drunk from time to time and stop labelling Britain a 'nation of binge drinkers', says a new study.

Research from the University of Bath found that the government's constant emphasis on the dangers of drunkenness had failed to change people's behaviour.

Public health messages instructing people to stick to moderate drinking were widely ignored, it concluded, especially among young people who thought the number of units recommended were 'unrealistically' low.

Dr Andrew Bengry-Howell, an expert in young people's behaviour who carried out the research, said efforts to shame heavy drinkers by branding them 'binge drinkers' had also failed.

The problem is that the definition of a binge drinker - someone who drinks to get drunk - could encompass the majority of people at some time in their lives, he said.

When the sociologist presents his findings this week, at a conference on young people's health at the Institute of Education in London, he will call on health ministers to devise radically different public health messages, which accept the reality that many people enjoy getting drunk from time to time.

He likened the existing sensible drinking campaign to the 'just say no' message about drugs in the Eighties. This failed to stem use of heroin and cocaine.

'A more sensible approach would be to say to people, "We know you are going to drink to get drunk, so make sure you do not do it very often",' said Bengry-Howell. 'Or helping them to plan a night out so that it is safer, or suggesting they drink soft drinks in between alcoholic ones. Not just lecturing them about the number of units, because the guidelines are so low.'

'A binge is seven units for a woman and 11 for a man,' he said. 'So many people are doing it, it is as if the government message categorises everyone as a binge-drinker and so speaks to no one. People draw on their own experience and most people just ignore the message.'

The criticism comes a week before health ministers launch a new high-profile £10m national advertising campaign aimed at boosting knowledge about the number of units in alcoholic drinks and warning drinkers about the harmful effect of regular excessive consumption - the very tactics branded by Bengry-Howell as unsuccessful.

It is the latest stage of the government's Know Your Limits campaign. Bengry-Howell said its concentration on highlighting the harm caused by drinking was at the heart of the problem. His research among young people aged 18 to 25 in the West Midlands and South-West found that advertising campaigns by drinks manufacturers highlighting the fun nature of alcohol had much more influence on young people than the social warnings. He singled out the campaign's website, knowyourlimits.co.uk, which allows people to go on a virtual night out. In one scenario, after drinking four shots a woman gets into an unlicensed taxi and is sexually assaulted. 'If you drink beyond the government limits, it ends in disaster,' he said, arguing that many people drank over the limit and got home safely, so did not believe the message.

The Department of Health last night insisted that its approach was realistic. 'We do [already] acknowledge that people drink and that they do sometimes drink too much,' said a spokeswoman. 'But the new campaign will say that if you regularly drink too much, these health harms will kick in. We're saying that if you regularly drink more than the recommended limits, that's when you start to damage yourself. So it's a realistic message.'

Ama Uzowuru, vice-president of the National Union of Students, said: 'The NUS acknowledges that it is unrealistic to expect students never to drink to excess, but we can provide people with good advice on reducing the harm caused by binge drinking.

'Students' unions focus their efforts on responsible drinking - for instance, our members voted to outlaw dangerous "initiation ceremonies", and unions issue guidance to students on making sure they and their friends are safe when they are on a night out.'